


what do you need

by kocuria



Series: the Winter drabbles [4]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Fluff, M/M, Multiple Personalities, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Protective Steve Rogers, Sharing a Body, Перевод на русский | Translation in Russian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:27:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25072345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kocuria/pseuds/kocuria
Summary: “Steve,” the bloodied man says, no emotion showing on his face.“... which Bucky am I talking to?” the Captain asks, slowly.There’s a bird-like head-tilt. “There’s onlyoneBucky, Captain,” Winter says in obvious confusion.-Steve makes amends.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Winter
Series: the Winter drabbles [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1805338
Comments: 22
Kudos: 261





	what do you need

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Чего же ты хочешь?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29051892) by [WTF Stucky and Roles 2021 (WTF_Stucky_and_Roles_2021)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WTF_Stucky_and_Roles_2021/pseuds/WTF%20Stucky%20and%20Roles%202021)



> (Am I avoiding real-life stuff? Yes, I am.  
> Is it working? Yes, it seems to be 😂)
> 
> The author has no experience with Dissociative Identity Disorder whatsoever (way too much with other fun mental stuff though).  
> You can find the series timeline [HERE!](https://kocuria.tumblr.com/post/637890812746891264/timeline-for-the-winter-drabbles-series)  
>   
> Find me on [Tumblr](https://kocuria.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/kocuria)

In the early hours of Thursday morning Bucky Barnes strolls into the atrium of the Tower, looking with something like respect at the small, silvery keycard in his hand.

The sun is rising and it’s already apparent it’s going to be another scorching hot June day. The atrium is almost empty, apart from the janitor making his way through the massive floor with a mop, bobbing his head to the music playing on his headphones, and the night security guard looking at the new arrival in alarm.

To be fair, the man _is_ drenched in blood, head-to-toe.

It takes no time at all (though for the poor guard it must feel like a lifetime, faced with an internationally wanted assassin dripping gore) for a harried Captain America clad in Iron Man pyjamas to barrel out of a staircase, then come to a screeching halt just out of arm’s reach.

“Steve,” the bloodied man says, no emotion showing on his face.

“… which Bucky am I talking to?” the Captain asks, slowly.

There’s a bird-like head-tilt. “There’s only _one_ Bucky, Captain,” the man says in obvious confusion.

All tension drains out of the Captain, posture going loose. He beams. “Welcome back, Winter.”

The janitor finally looks up. He notices the blood trailed all over the floor, sighs in exasperation, and makes his way over to take care of it without a word.

It’s just another Thursday in Avengers Tower, after all.

Finding blood-soaked (though seemingly unscathed) Winter wasn’t what Steve expected when JARVIS woke him up with a polite _ping_ and informed him he might want to go down to the atrium. Steve, already on his feet and about to grab his shield, realized the Assemble alarm wasn’t blaring, and hope flared up, impossibly, in his chest. It’s only been 16 hours, after all _(16 hours and 23 minutes, but who’s counting)_ and the way he and Winter parted ways…

He herds Winter into the elevator, now - with a quick, authoritative, “Medical floor, JARVIS, please,” and a much quieter, “some warning would’ve been nice, you know.”

“Apologies, Captain. To be fair, you didn’t wait to hear what I had to say.” Steve could _swear_ JARVIS sounds rather miffed, and he looks at the ceiling apologetically.

“Hi, JARVIS,” Winter says quietly, and Steve’s head whips back to him. It’s the first time he’s seen Winter actually _start_ a social interaction.

“Good morning, Winter,” JARVIS says, sounding infinitely more fond.

What the…?

“The medical attention is not necessary, Steve,” Winter says, turning to Steve. It’s unnerving, being the sole focus of his attention. “There are no injuries to be taken care of.”

“You’ll forgive me if I want a medical professional to confirm that? I’m sorry. Call it SOP for whenever someone staggers into the Tower covered in blood. That’s what we have the medical floor _for,_ you know. It happens more often than you think,” Steve tries for levity. He’s not sure he succeeds.

Winter looks at him, obviously processing the information, then nods.

“Mind telling me what happened?” Steve asks finally, not able to stop himself.

Winter just says, “Hydra,” with a shrug, like it’s an everyday occurrence.

Maybe it is. Steve growls. Winter tenses immediately, and Steve wants to kick himself. Or ask Tony to do it, in his suit, so it actually sticks.

 _You really need to control that temper of yours, Rogers,_ says Bucky’s voice in his head - just like he did hundreds of times before the war, and during. Steve’s never been more inclined to agree.

“Sorry,” he says, trying to look as unthreatening as possible. “Just, the thought of someone attacking you when I’m not there to help…”

“We didn’t _need_ your help,” Winter says, visibly puzzled.

“Yeah, no, I can see that. You can take care of yourself- _yourselves_ , of course you can- doesn’t mean I don’t- that I don’t _want_ to-”

Steve’s doing this all wrong-

“You want to protect Bucky,” Winter says, suddenly, and relaxes. 

-or maybe he’s finally managed to do something _right,_ after all.

“I want to protect _both_ of you,” he says, carefully, just as the elevator _pings_ and they emerge to the brightly-lit medical floor. Winter’s face does something Steve can’t interpret, but then he's swept up by a nurse tutting over him.

“You think I’m _him._ The Soldier,” Winter says when they’re finally back in Steve’s apartment. He’s still wearing the blood-soaked clothes he came in, but his face and hands have been cleaned somewhat. There's a definite hunch to his shoulders, like the whole ordeal tired him out, but he’s obviously wary and doesn’t want to let his guard down.

Steve’s fucked this up _so bad._

“No. You said you aren’t. _Bucky_ said you aren’t. I believe you.”

Winter just looks at him, mistrust clear on his face.

“I’m sorry. I got it all wrong. I have been, from the very beginning,” Steve tries to convey his sincerity, but he can see it’s not really getting through. Winter's still standing halfway between the elevator and the living room, ready to flee at a moment’s notice. 

Steve decides to try something else.

“I should’ve listened to you, to _both_ of you. You had intel I didn’t… eyes on the ground, in a way. I should’ve trusted your sitrep.”

Winter tilts his head, again - it’s something that Bucky’s never done, not like this. Steve’s starting to see definite differences between them. Body language. Speech patterns. The way they think.

He squints. Eye color? Is that even possible?

Winter finally nods decisively. “Yes. That was not the optimal way to handle the situation.”

Steve wants to sag in relief. He doesn’t. He has a feeling Winter needs him to prove himself to be a good-

Superior. He said _ranking officer_ _,_ in that first conversation, two days ago.

(God, has it really only been two days? It already feels like a lifetime.)

Steve doesn’t really feel comfortable with the idea. He shelves the problem for later - something to be discussed with Bucky, probably. He focuses on the practicalities, instead.

“What do you need now?” Winter looks confused, so Steve rephrases, “What’s the operating procedure for a situation like this? I assume it’s not the first time Hydra operatives attacked you, since the Helicarriers?”

Winter nods again. “They want their Asset back,” he says quietly.

Steve’s noticed the way Winter goes either furious or very quiet whenever the Asset - the _Soldier_ \- is mentioned. His heart breaks a little more. There’s a story here, and he hopes he’ll get to hear it one day. That he’ll earn the trust.

 _(“His name is Winter,”_ Bucky said. _“He’s saved me more times than I can count - than I can_ recall. _He’s protected me from the Soldier for years._ _**Decades.** ”)_

“Well, they’re not getting him,” Steve says, and Winter flinches. “They’re not getting _you,_ either, Winter. You, or Bucky. You’re safe here. Now, what’s the protocol?”

Winter visibly relaxes when asked a straightforward question. “Find shelter” - Steve nods encouragingly - “then wash off the blood. Bucky… doesn’t like seeing it.”

“And you?”

“I…” Winter's thrown again.

“Okay,” Steve backtracks. “Shower, then?” 

Winter winces, then nods. Steve has a sudden thought.

“Winter, have you ever had a bubble bath?”

“Steve?” Winter calls from the bathroom, and Steve _doesn’t_ come running. He _doesn’t._ He just power-walks his way over there.

“Yes, Winter? Do you need anything?” he asks, standing just outside the door.

“What do you do with bodies?”

Steve takes a moment to make sure his voice is completely even.

“Dead bodies?”

“Yes.”

“… How many?”

“Nine. Under the pier in Coney Island,” Winter says matter-of-factly. There’s some trickling sounds, like he’s… splashing in the water?

Steve slumps to the floor as quietly as he can.

“… JARVIS?” he asks feebly.

“On it, Captain.”

“It’s- it’s being taken care of, Winter.”

“Thank you, Steve.” Winter sounds pleased.

More splashing, then Winter starts to hum some melody that, to Steve, feels vaguely familiar. There _is_ some overlap between him and Bucky, then.

Steve bangs his head against the bathroom door - gently, so as not to alarm Winter.

He’s in _so much trouble._

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! 🙃  
>   
>   
> 


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